Teamwork: prolonged gratification
by landmiracle
Summary: Set before the twins when it was just Bill, Charlie and Percy. Explores Charlie's dragon love and Bill's fashionable leanings as well as Percy's general prattyness.


Welcome to my first one shot...

* * *

"I'm older"

"By _two years_"

"That's plenty of time"

"You don't know anything about dragons!"

"Well then, I guess I'll just go ask mom…_she_ seems knowledgeable"

"Bill, don't be a prat."

A handsome smirk spread across the face of the older boy as he turned a finely polished, but worn, heel and started as if to go back to the Burrow. Charlie paled slightly before conceding. "Fine! But be quiet. She's still skittish. And don't touch her or move too quickly. And don't-"

"breath too hard…I get it." Bill sayed rolling his eyes and squatting down to examine the crate, "You're starting to sound like Percy."

Charlie's face reddened and he shoved Bill back before fidgeting with the box. The lip popped open with a thump and out rolled a small creature with dark green scales, a lanky body and the slightest hint of what would eventually be a single long golden horn. It blinked a couple times in surprise and began stepping further from the confines of the crate to nip at a few sprigs of grass that had danced erratically in the soft wind. As its scales caught the light, they undulated and darkened.

"Bloody beautiful aint it"

"Yeah," Charlie agreed with a soft smile.

Bill watched the dragon turn to explore the opening of his box and his fingers flexed almost subconsciously. He remembered a pair of dragon-skin boots he once regarded jealously when he was younger. He didn't even bother asking Mum if he could have them, knew they were out of their price range, but couldn't stop himself from eyeing them from across the store. He walked up to them shyly, when his mother wasn't looking, and reached out curiously only to have his hand swatted just as was he was about to touch them. He went home and thought about nothing but those boots for weeks. Envisioned himself running his hand over the surface. Wondered whether they were as smooth as they looked. He imagined them to be impossibly warm, as if the skin held onto some of the heat dragons naturally gave off.

Before he could stop himself, he was reaching towards the skittish creature, desperate to finally _know._ The dragon stopped its movements to observe the progression of Bill's hand and, for a moment, actually dipped its nose as if it would welcome the attention. But just before skin made contact with scales, the animal snapped at his fingers. Bill swore and jumped back causing Charlie to lunge between him and the reptile.

"You've scared her, you big dunce!" Charlie exclaimed quietly as he began soothing the now near frantic animal, never touching it but softly cooing and assuring.

Too taken aback by the near mauling to be put off by the display, Bill scoffed, "Scared her? It nearly took off my fingers."

"Well, I told you not to touch her," Charlie stated with a sense of finality and began to nervously fidget with the box.

Afraid Charlie would decide to hide the dragon away, Bill quickly tried to change the subject. "What is it anyway?"

Charlie's eyes lit up and he began to talk in a frantic voice even as he focused quietly on the dragon. "It's a baby Romanian Longhorn. They're usually only found in Romanian mountains, 'swere they get their names. This is probably the only one for thousands of mil-"

Bill tuned Charlie out. He had read something about the qualities of the powdered horn but he found it hard to recall lessons or pay attention to a new lecture when the monstrous, albeit endearing, creature was right there. _Right there_. Within reaching distance.

And just because he was a little miffed about getting snapped at, or distracted by the opportunity to finally reach out and actually _feel _realdragon skin, didn't mean that he didn't catch the way his brother grinned so hard it looked like his face was going to break. The same way he grinned when he caught a snitch for the first time by himself. Only if it was possible, this smile was even wider. Even more genuine. Like he had swallowed the sun and it was just burning right behind his teeth. Bill hardly knew how Charlie managed to contain himself. But each of his movements were measured, careful. Done in a swaying, dancing sort of way that seemed to hypnotize the dark green dragon. Who was _purring_.

Bill watched enraptured as the little dragon stretched its head to bump its nose into Charlie's hand. His eyes widened as Charlie almost absentmindedly stroked the creature, still going on about menial issues like trade routes and how it ended up hidden behind their dilapidated shed and who was coming to get it and when. Bill bit the tip of his tongue to keep any questions from spilling out but his eyes betrayed his curiosity, his longing. And just because Charlie was completely enchanted himself didn't mean he didn't notice.

"You wanna touch her?"

Bill caught Charlie's eyes and hesitated. He was supposed to be older, more mature but suddenly he felt small, timid and just so...young. Charlie smiled good-naturedly and prodded him some more.

"Come on, she won't bite if you do it right." Bill looked unsure, excited.

"Okay…what do I do?"

Charlie motioned Bill to come closer and took his hand to move in a soft pattern.

"You just gotta…let her come to you. If you keep moving slowly-like this- and if you just whisper a bit. Tell her you aren't going to hurt her or nothing. And don't be nervous. It'll upset her."

Bill tried his best to think kind things. To think of something besides dragon-skin anything. Beaches, mountains, deer, ground gnomes, really nice silk robes. He moved the way Charlie told him to, slow and rhythmic. He controlled his breathing, his face. Trying for all he was worth to look like the confident, trustworthy future prefect he was. But the dragon just eyed him suspiciously. Not falling into the trance he slipped into when Charlie did this, and certainly not purring. Bill glanced anxiously at his brother for reassurance.

"I don't think she likes me."

Charlie grinned encouragingly, "That would be a first."

A smirk finally fell onto Bill's face and the dragon stepped towards him cautiously. His eyebrows shot up in anticipation and his smirk blossomed into a full grin that nearly rivaled his brother's.

"See, she likes you. You just needed to be yourself." A quick glance at Charlie showed that he was possibly more excited than Bill was.

"Wasn't I telling you the same thing about that girl that lives down the road the other day?" Bill asked with a quirk, trying to maintain this new confidence and mask his nerves.

The dragon reached towards Bill's still outstretched had, stretching his neck with one foot tentatively placed forward. This was it. He struggled to keep his hand from shaking as it inched closer and closer and just as his fingertips made contact; barely grazed the section of the Romanian dragon's head that was starting to turn gold-

"**WILLIAM ARTHUR WEASLEY**. What in _Heaven's name_..."

Bill winced and envied the dragon's ability to run back to the safety of the crate. '_Bloody intelligent creature if nothing else.'_

Charlie struggled to put the lid of the crate back on and shield the evidence with his body as his mother's voice rose to an even higher pitch. "_WAS THAT A DRAGON?!_ where is your father…when he finds out about…ARTHUR!"

"Mom we were just-ow ow ow ow" Charlie started but was cut off when Molly grabbed tightly to one of his ears, reaching over to drag Bill as well.

"When your father hears about…dragons of all things-a bloody _dragon_. And your father in the ministry. Did you two ever stop to think-it's a good thing _Percy_ had the decency to come tell me you two were whispering behind the shed...I've never in all my-"

"Mum…wait! We can't leave it. It's just a-ow-baby" Charlie's voice barely broke into the tirade of disbelieving and guilt ladden accusations.

She released Charlie begrudgingly to allow him to drag the crated creature back to the house, though "_that thing_" was not being let out or going anywhere _near_ Molly's kitchen.

Once inside, Bill was sat roughly at the table where he alternated between casting dark looks at a smugly seated Percy and longing glances out the window where Charlie was sitting gloomily beside the closed crate.

His father would be home soon to calm his mother, who was just now working herself into a real frenzy of household chores, and take the dragon away somewhere_ else_. Far out of reach.

But on the bright side, Charlie seemed to have found a new hobby... and there was plenty of time to think of ways to get back at Percy while they were grounded. The dark thought cheered him a little and Percy's wide eyes showed he was rightfully afraid of the sneer that Bill had just sent his way. Bill looked up to find Charlie giving Percy equally ill intentioned looks through the window of the kitchen and he couldn't help but smile a bit wider.


End file.
